#plastic+free

id split this into 3 main categories: fresh veg/fruit; food packaged in non-plastic packaging (paper, glass, metal); and plastic free toiletries.

worth noting as well that all the food options listed here are vegan - going plant-based is good for the environment, but this post is in no way saying you have to go vegan. im just sharing what i know and what i know happens to be vegan.

buying loose fresh veg/fruit is super useful for reducing plastic if you can get some reusable veg bags. you can search "reusable cotton veg bags" on your search engine of choice and it should pull up some results. these are nice as theyre a one-time purchase, so the upfront price isnt as bad considering that.

for foods packaged in in non-plastic packaging, i get a few things: tinned foods are always good, im partial to tinned black beans. i also get tvp mince (a type of vegan mincemeat) and pasta in paper bags. what you can find in paper packaging will depend on your area, but if you search online you may be able to find more options (though i would always recommend shopping locally when you can). ingredients like flour and sugar come in paper bags normally as well anyway.

since the above 2 paragraphs are all about food, here are some things i make that are plastic-free: 1. chips (US: fries), made from cutting up a whole potato

2. chilli - using tvp vegan mince, black beans, tomato passata, and fresh veg.

3. pasta sauce - made from tomato passata and whatever fresh veg you want.

4. homemade pizza - make the base out of flour and water, the sauce out of passata, and toppings from whatever fresh veg you want.

ideas for reducing my waste in 2025

using what I have!

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The CEOs of these companies making hundreds of thousands of plastic products are likely not vegan (which again is a philosophy, not a diet).

Deep breath. Okay, let's discuss.

This is a review article, which means the authors didn't present any new experiments, but instead they summarized and critiqued other studies. This can be helpful to understand what a field in general is finding on a topic.

They concluded that across the studies, exposure to certain chemicals that make plastic more durable, more flexible, and more heat-resistant seem to raise children's risk of health issues like heart disease, obesity, asthma, infertility, ADHD, and autism.

The authors do not recommend driving yourself to exhaustion and obsession trying to remove all plastic from your child's life. The recommendation from the linked article is:

“There are safe, simple steps that parents can take to limit their children’s plastic exposure without breaking the bank,” said lead author Leonardo Trasande, a professor of pediatrics at New York University. He says parents should replace plastic containers with glass or steel and avoid microwaving plastic or running it through the dishwasher, as heat can cause plastics to leach chemical additives.

From my perspective as a parent, I want to remind you that we're talking about a similar risk profile as we faced as children of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. That is, it's important to reduce exposure where we can, but not at the expense of our family's mental, emotional, and financial wellness.

Not only will there be no microplastics in the tea, but it also saves nature because loose tea is sold in metal or paper packaging without any plastic.

Also it tastes way better 🌞🍵🍂🍒🍊🌺🫐